Labour's Costly Council Election Reversal Triggers Political Crisis
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed is under intense pressure to resign following a dramatic government U-turn on postponing council elections, a decision that will burden taxpayers with a £63 million bill. The reversal, announced last night, means votes in 30 local authorities will proceed in May as originally scheduled, after legal advice indicated the government would likely lose a challenge brought by Reform UK.
Legal Challenge Forces Government Retreat
Ministers rallied around Mr Reed this morning amid the fallout, but revelations have emerged that he may have personally weakened the case for delay. According to reports, an op-ed he wrote for The Times, in which he claimed voters would support cancelling "pointless" and "time consuming" elections for councils soon to be abolished, undermined the government's legal position before affected areas were even confirmed.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been among the most vocal critics, demanding Mr Reed's resignation and branding the U-turn "a victory for democracy." The government will now have to cover Reform's legal costs in addition to the £63 million allocated to help councils manage the chaotic aftermath of local government reorganisation.
Ministers Admit "Not Ideal" Situation
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock conceded the situation was "not ideal" during an interview with LBC, stating he would not pretend otherwise. Despite the embarrassment, he defended Mr Reed's performance, praising his work on the Pride in Place programme, renters' reforms, and efforts to reduce bureaucratic barriers to construction.
More than 4.5 million people will now regain their voting rights in May's council elections, marking what critics describe as the 14th humiliating U-turn since Sir Keir Starmer took power. Insiders have suggested a misinterpretation of the law led to the blunder, which occurred just hours after the Prime Minister dismissed the possibility of further policy reversals in a live radio interview.
Council Leaders Express Fury and Distrust
Furious council leaders have questioned whether the planned abolitions and mergers of authorities can still proceed, accusing ministers of failing to maintain a firm grip on the situation. Richard Wright, chairman of the District Councils Network and Conservative leader of North Kesteven Council, told Times Radio that trust between local and central government is now "in doubt."
He revealed that in December, officials had directly questioned the Secretary of State and his team about the soundness of their legal opinion and were assured the government was confident in its position. "If they tell us they're confident, and then obviously it's completely torn apart, then it leaves us wondering at the moment if central government will give us the correct answers when we ask for them," Mr Wright stated.
Political Fallout and Broader Implications
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labelled the government "zombie" and criticised its pattern of U-turns, while Labour insiders privately expressed despair at what they described as "death by a thousand self-inflicted cuts." Mr Kinnock insisted ministers would press ahead with local government reorganisation, predicting benefits would be felt within two to three years.
The affected councils now face a race against time to prepare for May elections, with concerns about booking polling stations and securing electoral staff. The Electoral Commission had previously warned that the bar for postponing votes should be set "very high," and the reversal has raised questions about the government's grasp of the legal complexities involved in the most significant council shake-up in 50 years.
With polls suggesting Labour could face significant losses in May's elections, the contests are widely viewed as a critical test of Sir Keir Starmer's leadership and survival prospects. The Prime Minister narrowly survived a coup attempt last week and has seen several high-profile departures from his team, leaving him looking increasingly isolated despite his intention to cling to power for the time being.
